Cubs, Indians World Series in the Offing?

This post is one in a series about the 2016 MLB Playoffs and World Series.





Saturday's slate, the first with all four teams in Championship Series action, brought us closer to a potential World Series between two teams that haven't won a title in a combined 176 years. With a 2-0 series lead heading to Toronto, the Cleveland Indians are 79% favorites to represent the American League in the 2016 Fall Classic. On the NL side, the Cubs lead 1-0 in the NLCS, with the simulator putting them in the World Series 82 times out of 100.




The Cubs' and Indians' victories lifted their World Series expectancies to 51% and 33%, respectively. The losing Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers both saw their championship chances dive into the single digits.



Despite winning only one game so far, the Cubs' paper superiority pushed their already heady chances even higher. The most common simulated outcome has the Cubs winning in five games, whereas the Dodgers will most likely need seven if they are to finish off Chicago.



Having dug themselves a 2-0 ALCS hole, the Blue Jays will also likely require seven games to reach their first World Series since 1993; the Indians are most likely to clinch an AL title in five or six games.

The Cubs and Dodgers are in action again tonight. Should the Cubs win game two, their lead in Championship Series expectancy will appear nearly insurmountable. Can LA stem the tide? Check back tomorrow to see where both teams stand upon heading to California for games three, four and, perhaps, five.